Tips & Guidelines

• Contact Dolphin Graphics if a first time user or if attempting anything not previously tried or if only to identify potential problems.

• Set up files so that pages are in the correct order and the page size of the electronic document matches the page size of the printed piece.

• Scan or acquire images as close to the final size as possible (larger is not necessarily better) and at the appropriate resolution for the final output medium.

• Rotate, mirror, or flip graphics in the program used to create them rather than in a page layout program.

• Remove extra paths and channels to simplify the files before saving your final graphics.

• Define colors according to the CMYK model if they are to be separated, or as spot colors if they’re to be printed that way.

• Save graphics in TIFF or EPS format, uncompressed.

• Print test separations on a laser printer to make sure you don’t have extra plates or unwanted spot colors.

• Unless the typeface is intricate or finely detailed, convert any text within EPS graphics to paths before importing the graphics into page layout programs.

• Leave trapping and imposition to Dolphin Graphics unless you’ve previously discussed and agreed upon these procedures.

• When sending files to Dolphin Graphics, clearly label on the disk what’s needed for your job, and include a current hardcopy proof of your file with crop marks and bleeds, preferably printed at the final size (100 percent).

• As soon as you get a proof from Dolphin Graphics,, inspect it carefully for errors and report any problems immediately.

The Correct Resolution
The chart below lists appropriate resolutions for some standard output formats. Other factors (such as size) that can affect the ideal resolution are noted where applicable. (Resolution isn’t a concern with Postscript vector graphics which print at the maximum resolution of the output device.)